FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., March 1, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Oakley, Inc. (NYSE:OO) today announced the release of its spring line of prescription eyewear frames. The new frames feature fashion accents and material technologies ranging from ultra-lightweight titanium alloy to proprietary O Matter(r). One of the new releases incorporates the company's Rimless Mounting Technology, a hardware system that gives eye care professionals complete freedom in configuring eyewear to match each customer's personal preference.
Photos accompanying this release are available at the following links:
Oakley SOFT TAIL: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2381
Oakley CHISEL: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2382
Oakley GASKET: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2383
Oakley SWEEPER: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2384
"If you have visited our Web site recently, you have come across the phrase 'Physics Elevated to an Art Form'," said Oakley President Colin Baden. "Our new prescription styles are examples of that message. Our objective is to integrate technology into fashion so that form and function are complementary to one another, and that goal is accomplished brilliantly in these styles."
Oakley utilized its X Metal(r) titanium alloy for the new CHISEL(tm), an ultra-lightweight frame available in two distinctive lens shapes. Linear temples of sculptural metal are styled with channel details and inlaid icons.
SOFT TAIL(tm) features an O Metal bridge, as well as temples that sculpturally blend O Metal and O Matter(r) frame materials with a highly configurable, rimless design. Oakley's innovative Rimless Mounting Technology extends the range of customer choices by offering 17 different lens configurations.
Providing the comfort of a customizable fit, two additional frames in Oakley's new line take advantage of heat-adjustable O Matter(r), a durable and lightweight synthetic. The new GASKET(tm) and SWEEPER(tm) prescription eyewear frames blend the assertive lines of outspoken styling with sculpturally beveled temples, finished with metal icons and hinge links of C-5(tm) alloy. SWEEPER(tm) will be available in a unique two-color configuration with the bevel feature highlighted by a second hue.
Oakley offers a comprehensive line of ophthalmic-specific frames and prescription lenses which feature the company's High Definition Optics(r) (HDO(r)). Oakley's prescription lenses surpass all tests of the American National Standards Institute and are constructed utilizing a proprietary system that maps light rays in a three-dimensional grid achieving precise coordination between lens geometry and the human eye, offering complete optical clarity across the entire lens surface. All Oakley prescription eyewear comes standard with a highly protective Metal Vault case and one-year warranty against manufacturer's defects.
About Oakley, Inc.
Oakley, Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes high-performance sunglasses, prescription lenses and frames, goggles and technology-enabled eyewear that utilize the company's High Definition Optics(r) (HDO(r)), a collective platform of patented technologies that offer unbeatable optical performance. The company also produces technical and active apparel, footwear and accessories. Trailing-12-month net sales through December 31, 2005 totaled U.S. $648.1 million. Oakley, Inc. press releases, SEC filings and the company's annual report are available at investor.oakley.com.
Safe Harbor Disclaimer
This press release contains certain statements of a forward-looking nature. Such statements are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, but are limited to growth and strategies, future operating and financial results, financial expectations and current business indicators and typically identified by the use of terms such as "look," "may," "will," "should," "might," "believe," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate" and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. The accuracy of such statements may be affected by a number of business risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated, including but not limited to: risks related to the successful implementation and operation of the company's multi-branded eyewear growth strategy, the company's ability to optimize manufacturing processes, incorporate Oakley's High Definition Optics and expand the brands into additional international markets; the company's ability to integrate the acquisition and benefit from accretive earnings in 2006; the company's ability to manage rapid growth; risks related to the limited visibility of future sunglass orders associated with the company's "at once" production and fulfillment business model; the ability to identify qualified manufacturing partners; the ability to coordinate product development and production processes with those partners; the ability of those manufacturing partners and the company's internal production operations to increase production volumes on raw materials and finished goods in a timely fashion in response to increasing demand and enable the company to achieve timely delivery of finished goods to its retail customers; the ability to provide adequate fixturing to existing and future retail customers to meet anticipated needs and schedules; the dependence on eyewear sales to Luxottica Group S.p.A, which, as a major competitor, could materially alter or terminate its relationship with the company; the company's ability to expand and grow its distribution channels and its own retail operations; unanticipated changes in general market conditions or other factors, which may result in cancellations of advance orders or a reduction in the rate of reorders placed by retailers; a weakening of economic conditions could continue to reduce demand for products sold by the company and could adversely affect profitability, especially of the company's retail operations; terrorist acts, or the threat thereof, could adversely affect consumer confidence and spending, could interrupt production and distribution of product and raw materials and could, as a result, adversely affect the company's operations and financial performance; the ability of the company to integrate licensing arrangements without adversely affecting operations and the success of such initiatives; the ability to continue to develop and produce innovative new products and introduce them in a timely manner; the acceptance in the marketplace of the company's new products and changes in consumer preferences; reductions in sales of products, either as the result of economic or other conditions or reduced consumer acceptance of a product, could result in a buildup of inventory; the ability to source raw materials and finished products at favorable prices to the company; the potential impact of periodic power crises on the company's operations including temporary blackouts at the company's facilities; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; earthquakes or other natural disasters; the company's ability to identify and execute successfully cost control initiatives; and other risks outlined in the company's SEC filings, including but not limited to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, its Quarterly Report on From 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005 and other filings made periodically by the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The company undertakes no obligation to update this forward-looking information, except as it is required to do so by securities laws. Nonetheless, the company reserves the right to make such updates from time to time by press release, periodic report or other method of public disclosure without the need for specific reference to this press release. No such update shall be deemed to indicate that other statements not addressed by such update remain correct or create an obligation to provide any other updates.
The Oakley Inc. logo is available at: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1533
